Additional Concussion Testing for McCoy

As the NFL continues to find ways to improve player safety -- especially when it comes to head injuries -- a new policy has been issued by the league that requires additional testing for any player recovering from an in-season concussion.

The policy requires personnel from the NFL, with no affiliation to any team, to administer position-specific testing to the injured player. Colt McCoy went through the evaluation this morning as the second year quarterback hopes to return for Cleveland’s season finale against Pittsburgh.

League officials were reportedly concerned with McCoy’s results. As a quarterback -- it was cause for concern when McCoy seemed confused when shown video of Tom Brady throwing a pass that traveled more than 10 yards.

“Why is he throwing the ball so far?” McCoy asked the doctors. “He had that painfully slow tight end, blanketed in coverage, just streaking two yards behind the line of scrimmage.”

As the doctors continued their evaluation, McCoy presented questionable reactions that were far from consistent to the average NFL quarterback. One part of the test simulated a live in-game situation that required McCoy to hit a wide open receiver on a 15-yard flag route. When McCoy dropped back, he flinched to the left as if assuming the right side of the line had collapsed at the slightest sign of resistance. Then, instead of hitting the wide open receiver, he just scrambled until the orange cones that represented defensive linemen formed a pile over his motionless body.

“It’s bizarre, I haven’t seen anything like it in my 23 years as a physician,” Dr. Smith (the lead administer of the test) said. “Yes, Colt McCoy is suffering from a concussion, but he’s also suffering from an almost Vietnam-like post-traumatic stress disorder. It’s as if the right side of his offensive line buckles on every play and in our simulation, the poor kid was just running for his life.”

As a result of the evaluation, the league wants to put McCoy under further testing -- not to clear him for play, but to ensure that he can function on a day-to-day basis after his horrific experience in Cleveland. “I just want to make sure this young man doesn’t regress into a shell of terror and fear, “ Dr. Smith said. “Some injuries... some events are bigger than football. This is one of them.”

The Browns will know whether Colt can play later this week.